September 23 (RIA Novosti) - European Parliament member Toomas Hendrik Ilves, a Social-Democrat, was elected Estonian president Saturday, defeating incumbent Arnold Ruutel in an electoral college vote.
Ilves, the head of the European Parliament's foreign affairs commission, received 174 votes from the 345-member electoral college made up of parliament members and representatives of local government bodies.
Ilves, 52, will start his five-year presidential term October 9.
